I don't know how they work, but they do. I took the generic form of prozac daily for a while. It was a low milligram. They helped me through a rough patch. The doctor also prescribed me some xanax for the really rough times, like when I felt a panic attack coming on. I rarely had to use those and I only took a half because a half worked! They basically calm you down and perk you up at the same time.There are other alternatives too. If you don't already exercise, you should try it. It makes you feel better physically and mentally. And I should take my own advice
I also recommend some beginner yoga. I used the Yoga for Dummies video. It really calmed me down and cleared my mind. Hoped this helped some!